The winter holiday destination that’s even better to visit in the cold – with whales, waterfalls and hot water lagoons
“NOW you know why Icelandic people believe in trolls and giants,” says our guide Anton with a laugh.
It is the dead of the night and we are supposed to be looking for the Northern Lights.
But instead, he has driven his five- tonne truck to the middle of a frozen lake, insisting it is the perfect place for a walk.
The layer of solid water that separates us from an icy death is making terrifying thumping noises with our every move — exactly how you would expect the footsteps of the island’s mythical beings to sound.
After a while, as I become more confident about our late-night saunter, they become almost exciting to hear.
Even the cracks in the lake’s surface don’t faze me.
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With the thick, low-hanging clouds blocking the view of the aurora, we call off the search.
Instead, we drink cognac and hot chocolate around a cast-iron fire pit in the middle of the ice.
The biting -13C air might cut through my many layers and chill me to the bone and the Northern Lights may be too shy to dance for us, but none of that matters.
I am too busy taking in a moment quite unlike one I’ve ever lived through before, nor am I likely to again for quite some time.
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Simply put, it is the most exhilarating hot chocolate I’ve ever had.
Exhilaration is something that north Iceland has to offer in abundance.
The giants that live upon the land may be mythical, but its seas are home to some of the most colossal creatures in the world.
If you are lucky enough, they will pop right out of the water and give you a big wave of their fin, or fluke, before diving back down into the depths.
Minutes after our fishing boat has departed the harbour in Akureyri, a humpback arches its spine out of the water, mere feet from where we are sailing.
The boat’s skipper tells me she has seen similar sights every day that week, highlighting just how easily Iceland offers up moments that for the rest of us are rare.
You can drive from one town to the next and easily pass ten sights of natural beauty, modestly signposted, free to see by the side of the road, such as the awe-inspiring Godafoss waterfall, a spectacular arc of noise and power that can be heard long before it is seen.
Elsewhere, geysers hurl steam from the ground high into the air, while mountains tower over dramatic, otherworldly lava fields, shaped by rivers of magma, bursting from volcanoes at various points throughout the country’s history, including recently.
Volcanoes still play a huge part in Iceland’s day-to-day life with inactive ones like Hverfjall turned into hiking trails.
Having survived our icy lake walk, we once again put on our crampons to climb the landmark, from where we gazed upon the snow-capped landscape.
Vistas aside, the greatest advantage afforded to Iceland by the fiery mountains comes in the form of geothermal spas.
Going for a swim outside when the mercury is plummeting well below zero is rarely a good idea, but this country is the exception.
Across the north of the island there are several options for people looking to go for a warming dip in the naturally heated waters, including Geosea near Husavik.
Its infinity pool-style facilities provide views of the sea and fjords, while the Myvatn Nature Baths are in the middle of a valley.
However, the pick of the bunch is easily Akureyri’s Forest Lagoon, with its swim-up bars and built-in stone tables surrounded by pine trees, an intimate atmosphere for those looking to thaw out with a hot drink.
Getting to north Iceland is much simpler now thanks to easyJet’s new twice-weekly direct flights to Akureyri, opening up this spectacular world to a whole new audience.
Hotels such as the Myvatn Berjaya are the perfect base from where you can explore the sights, with modern rooms and a restaurant serving local delicacies, including bread baked under the ground by the country’s volcanic heat.
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It also has hot tubs.
There aren’t many more relaxing ways to end the day than with a beer and a warm soak under the snowfall.
GO: North Iceland
GETTING/STAYING THERE: Three nights’ room-only at the 3* Myvatn Berjaya is from £368pp including flights from Gatwick on November 2, 2024. See or call 0330 365 5005.
Flights from Gatwick to Akureyri cost from £40.17pp each way. see .
OUT & ABOUT: Tours and activities can be booked through .
A Hverfjall volcano tour costs from around £86pp and a Detifoss waterfall and jeep day tour costs from £218. See .
Whale watching in Akureyri costs from about £75. See .